The Imaging Core (Core A) of the Emory Molecular and Translational Imaging Research Center will provide centralized access, quality control, expertise and consultation services related to state-of-theart imaging with positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance (MR) techniques, and optical imaging methods. In this regard, the Core is highly integrative, being utilized by all four Research Projects, as a life laboratory for the applied portion of the Career Development Program, and by all Year 1 Pilot Projects. Core A will also have vital collaborative interactions with each of the other 3 core resources. Substantial physical and instrumentation resources available to EMTIC investigators include high resolution human PET (Project #1;Pilot #4), microPET (Project #2), high-field animal and human MR systems (Project #3, Pilot #3), computed tomography (Pilot #5), and optical imaging systems (Projects #1, 3, 5, Pilot #2). Core A will provide the infrastructure to ensure coordinated access, support and acceleration of methodological developments needed to optimize and translate cellular and molecular imaging techniques to clinical settings. The mission and objectives of Core A includes supporting both the day-to-day needs of EMTIC investigators as well as fostering the development of new methods and imaging techniques including refinement of magnetic nanoparticle tracer technology and implementation and protocol design for a prototype combined MR/PET device, for which Emory will be one of two initial North American installation sites.